ColonialHillsBaptist.com
Title
Colonial Hills Baptist Church - Lithia Springs, Georgia
Description
In 1927, under the inspiration of God and leadership of Dr. A. W. Lamar, a need was felt for a church to be established in the four-square-mile area of Colonial Hills in East Point, Georgia. After five months of meeting in a home, a group of thirty-five began the task of acquiring property to build a church home. The first services were held in April, 1928. Dr. Lamar, though eighty years old, agreed to serve as pastor and remained for two years. Following Dr. Lamar, Rev. Alfred Pullen pastored from May, 1930, until August, 1932. In March, 1933, Dr. Jesse Hendley was called as pastor. His ministry was one of Bible teaching with emphasis on radio and evangelism. The church grew under Dr. Hendley's ministry and resulted in a larger facility being built at the corner of Newnan and Knotts Avenues. In August, 1945, Dr. Paul R. Van Gorder was called as assistant pastor. When Dr. Hendley resigned to enter full-time evangelism, Dr. Van Gorder became the pastor in August, 1946. His was also a fruitful ministry as he faithfully taught God's Word in simplicity and purity.
In 1948, feeling the call of God to send the Gospel to the ends of the earth, Dr. Van Gorder inspired God's people to see the needs of the mission fields of the world. The first Bible Conference was held in 1945; in 1950, God used one of the speakers, Dr. Oswald J. Smith of Canada, to challenge the people with a Faith Promise Pledge for missions. This was the beginning of the present missionary program. The Annual Bible and Missionary Conference is held the first week in October each year and culminates with a pledge for missions from members and interested friends on the closing Sunday of the conference. At its highest point, Colonial Hills supported 170 missionaries and projects, giving more than $200,000.00 annually.
After Dr. Van Gorder's resignation in August, 1969, Dr. David Cummins became pastor in June, 1971. Under Dr. Cummins' tenure a new height was reached in the visitation program as members completed the course in Witnessing Evangelism. A printing program was also initiated. Each month a choice message was printed and distributed without cost to those who requested it. This grew to over twelve hundred individuals and several churches across forty states being blessed by this ministry. Following Dr. Cummins' resignation, Dr. Ollie V. Goad and Rev. L. Douglas Wilson pastored Colonial Hills.
